Humanzi

Who? When Irish eyes are smiling, they may steal your heart away, but Dublin foursome Humanzi — vocalist Shaun Mulrooney, guitarist Colm Rutledge, bassist Gary Lonergan, and drummer Brian Gallagher — would rather have your ears. They’ve released debut full-length Tremors (produced by Nine Inch Nails’ drummer Chris Vrenna), on which they make like some of their platinum-selling compatriots and snarl about uprising and rebellion.

What’s the Deal? With lyrics dabbling in social commentary and passionate declarations of emotion — including both the perils of consumerism and unrequited love — Humanzi wear their early-punk influences (the Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees) on their sleeves. But these upstarts don’t stop there, as they give Depeche Mode-esque tunes like “Fix the Cracks” dance-heavy hooks, a low-fi texture, and a splash of electronica.

Fun Fact: Mulrooney revealed to SPIN.com the top five facts you should know about his band. They’re all Irish, three of the four are Gemini schizophrenics (“which makes for a very volatile group,” he said), half of them can’t swim, and one is a vegetarian. Also on his list: “Zero percent of Humanzis are abstinent.” TRICIA SUMMERS